Baka Wa Shinanakya: Unless an Idiot Dies
by Uchiha Raina
Summary: Amnesia brought Sasuke back to them. Sound ninja kept them away from home. Now, thought to be dead, Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke must rely on their own strength to survive against their greatest foes ever: the Sound Village, Akatsuki...and each other.


**SPOILER NOTICE: For the most part, this is an alternate timeline starting after manga chapter 389. If you haven't read up to that point, BEWARE OF SPOILERS! Unless you don't care about spoilers. Then read on. But I'm warning you, spoilers start in the next paragraph. If you want to read the manga, I recommend narutocentral(dot)com for a free online translation. You need a (free) account to read the manga, but you can read it online, and it's pretty high quality (usually). **

**FROM THIS POINT ON, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS!! If that's not enough of a warning, I don't know what is. This story takes into account almost everything that has happened up through chapter 389 (including character deaths, although I haven't decided yet whether Jiraiya is dead. He was originally part of the story, so I have to see whether I can change it or if I'll just ignore his battle with Pein...). The one exception (for sure) is that Naruto, Kiba, Shino, Hinata, Sakura, Kakashi, Sai, and Yamato did _not_ leave to go after Sasuke, and thus do not encounter Tobi. You'll find out what happened instead in this chapter (and in more detail later). Oh, and the outcome of the current fight in the manga will not affect this story (unless by some odd coincidence the outcomes happen to be the same…which I doubt) **

**One last thing before we start: I'm doing this primarily to improve my writing. Because of that, I don't particularly want reviews that simply say "good chappie! upd8 soon!" That won't help me. If you're going to review, please include constructive criticism, even if it's just "Hey, this part seemed rushed…" or, as one of my friends once told me "Don't you know? It's 'blonde' for girls and 'blond' for guys." Random facts are cool, and since I might use them in the future, I wouldn't mind getting a few. And there ARE rewards for taking the time to do this. Check out my bio for more information, if you want. Obviously, I can't stop you from just reading and not reviewing at all, but I'd really appreciate your help! **

**Now on to the story! The title is from a Japanese proverb – "_Baka wa shinanakya, naoranai."_ Unless an idiot dies, he won't be cured.

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**_Baka Wa Shinanakya_**_  
Uchiha Raina_

_Book I: Harukani_ _(In the Distance)  
_Arc I: Amnesia

**Chapter I****: Trapped****! A New Adventure Begins!**

Dust entered his nostrils with each breath, swirling against the sensitive epidermis and making him sneeze. A gritty, sticky layer of dust mixed with dried sweat crinkled as he stirred. It covered every inch of bare skin: his face, his neck and chest, his fingers and upper arms, most of his feet. The particles grated between his teeth, creeping ever-farther down his throat.

He coughed. Pain blossomed in his chest and abdomen, arresting his breath for a full ten seconds. Once the spasm subsided, the coughing continued, albeit more weakly.

"Sasuke…"

Drawing in a raspy breath, Sasuke forced his eyes open. In the practically non-existent light of…wherever this place was, he could make out a head bending over him. Not even the slightest wind stirred the air.

The image blurred.

Sasuke attempted to raise a hand to his throbbing head, but no matter how hard his muscles strained, his hand wouldn't lift. The Uchiha settled for letting his head drop back against the wall behind him. _Stone…Jagged stone, _he thought. _If this is a cave, it was only made recently._

When his vision cleared again, Sasuke took another look around. The figure from before fumbled with something on the ground. A moment later, with a spitting sound, a flame burst forth. _Mouth ember._ Sasuke knew instinctively that this was the source of the flame. Some ninja carried mouth embers that, once bitten, could be spit out to start a fire. The fire in question licked at the edge of a frayed length of purple rope. It gave off enough light to reveal the face of the person who had spoken – blond hair, bright blue eyes, faint whisker-like markings on the cheeks…

"Naruto?"

A grim frown remained fixed on the blond boy's face.

Sasuke tried once more to move, and once more he failed. Glancing down, he saw the reason. Purple rope, like the makeshift torch, was wound tightly around Sasuke's midsection and arms, pinning him to a rock spire. "What's this, loser?" he sighed, rolling his eyes. "Another prank?"

Naruto's brow furrowed, but he said nothing, merely settling back on his haunches to wipe at his dry and cracked lip with a tattered black sleeve.

Sasuke scowled, fighting off the rising irritation toward his teammate. If only his memory wasn't so fuzzy…If only he could remember what had happened, why he was here. "What's with the silent treatment?" he asked. "Usually I can't get you to shut up." Still no reply. It seemed Naruto was determined not to say a word. Sasuke sighed. "Where are we?"

"I don't know."

Well, Sasuke figured, it wasn't much, but at least the loser was saying something. "What happened?"

"I don't know."

"No surprise," Sasuke smirked. "You never were that bright." To his surprise, Naruto didn't retort with a pathetic attempt at an insult; in fact, aside from a deeper scowl, the Genin didn't even respond. _What's going on? Naruto's not himself… _"Where's Sakura?" he asked at length, eyes taking in the rest of the cavern. The torchlight didn't reach very far; for all he knew, there might have been a dozen tunnels leading into the darkness. "Where's Kakashi-sensei?"

Blue eyes flared wide for a split second – or it could have been a trick of the light. Naruto glanced into the darkness, lifting a hand to scratch the skin under his black Leaf headband. A trickle of sweat escaped from the fabric covering Sasuke's own forehead, and his wished briefly that he could reach up to wipe it away. It _was _awfully stuffy in here. But then, what else was to be expected with the dead air?

He huffed. "Loser."

Naruto's eyes snapped back to his rival's face. Still he was silent. His gaze scanned Sasuke's body slowly, lingered on his face, then turned back to the darkness. After a moment, he opened his mouth as if to say something.

"Naruto?" The feminine voice rang out from the darkness Naruto had been peering into. It sounded thick and heavy, informing Sasuke of some of the cave's layout – low ceiling, narrow, crowded with dust and debris.

Naruto stood. "Sakura-chan! Anything?"

"Another dead end. Looks like we're stuck until we build up enough chakra to break out." At this point, the pink-haired kunoichi entered the torch's circle of light. Her red top was streaked with orange-tinted dust, her pink skirt beginning to fray. Her red headband was wound around her left bicep, blood oozing at the edges.

Their eyes met. Sakura froze.

"So are you going to tell me anything?" Sasuke muttered, fighting back a cough. The purple rope was beginning to cut into his skin, making it hard to breathe. His fingers were going numb.

"Sasuke-kun…"

The girl glanced at Naruto, who shrugged. They stared at each other a while longer, giving Sasuke the impression that they were conversing, though neither made the slightest movement, let alone spoke. It was Sakura who finally broke the silence.

"You don't think…"

"I don't know," Naruto sighed, rubbing his head. "You know how he is. But then again…There's something…off…"

"But after all this time…!" Though she didn't finish the thought, Naruto nodded.

"Yeah." His eyes closed, and Sasuke suddenly noticed the bags under his eyes. "…He asked for Kakashi-sensei." This time, Sasuke was sure he saw Sakura's teal eyes widen. Her startled glance turned to him.

"What's going on?" he demanded irritably. After all, he was sore, he was hungry, he was tired, and he was tied to a stone while his teammates spoke nonsense a few feet away. "My memory may be fuzzy, but I'm not stupid. None of us passed the Chuunin exams, remember? I know there's no way we'd be sent on a mission without Kakashi-sensei." Suddenly a vein in his forehead throbbed. "And why the heck am I tied up?!"

Now the other two seemed utterly flabbergasted. They exchanged another, longer glance. All Sasuke could do was groan. Sakura grabbed Naruto's elbow, dragging him away from Sasuke. The torchlight faded, leaving the area around Sasuke pitch black. He strained his ears to overhear the conversation between Sakura and Naruto, but could only pick out a handful of words and phrases – something about the Chuunin exams, three years, leaving… Sasuke frowned.

"And what if he really _doesn't _remember?" Naruto suddenly exclaimed, loud enough for Sasuke to hear easily. "Sakura-chan, this could be our chance!"

"What are you blabbering about now, loser?" Sasuke called. The others ignored him. Blowing his dark hair out of his face, he settled in for a long wait. In the musty darkness, Sasuke's mind clouded. Maybe if he slept, he'd feel better…Yes, sleep sounded good. At least then he wouldn't be bothered by this darned dust.

Footsteps.

"And just when I was dozing off," he grumbled, cracking one eye open. Naruto and Sakura hovered over him. Simultaneously, they knelt. "Now what?"

Sakura glanced to Naruto, silently gesturing him on. "Sasuke…" Naruto paused, swallowing, glancing furtively to Sakura before returning his cerulean gaze to Sasuke's coal-colored one. "What's the last thing you remember?"

He opened his mouth for a smart retort, but closed it just as suddenly, struggling to get his memory in order. He remembered Team Seven, obviously, but when exactly did his memory cut out? He remembered the Chuunin exams, the mark Orochimaru (that despicable snake!) had given him…The finals, a month later…Fighting the demon sealed inside Sabaku no Gaara – Shukaku, was it? Naruto had been the one to finish the fight. That particular memory made Sasuke grimace.

The Third's funeral. Sasuke clearly remembered that day, the sorrow written on everyone's faces. But not just sorrow. Some of those gathered that day were merely scared for their own sake, worried about what would come next. Was this really what Naruto dreamed of? Dying a nobly foolish death that accomplished next to nothing while the very people he had protected simply turned to the next Hokage in line? Sasuke didn't understand, but he never understood much of anything when it came to Naruto.

After the funeral…Naruto had gone off with the sannin, Jiraiya…That part was fuzzy, too. Something had happened; he knew it – and it was something big. But what? Sasuke decided to come back to that later…He remembered Tsunade, another sannin, the Fifth Hokage, the legendary medical ninja. She had healed him – of what? And what had happened after that? How had he gotten here? What had their mission been? How much time had passed?

A headache exploded in his temples, driving white-hot stakes into his brain. He wanted to clutch his head, squeeze the pain out, but that _blasted rope! _A hiss of pain slipped, unwarranted, past his lips.

"Sasuke-kun!"

"Sakura-chan, wait!"

Even with his head bowed against the pain, Sasuke could see Sakura's black-gloved hand reaching out for him, caught around the wrist by Naruto's hand. She tugged once, froze, and relaxed. Naruto released her hand, and it dropped to Sakura's knee. The pink fabric of her skirt darkened with teardrops.

_Wait…_ Sasuke forced himself to think, ignoring the pain as best he could. Their clothes – they were different. Sakura wore a dress, not a shirt and skirt, and she didn't have gloves. Naruto, too, had on a different ninja uniform than Sasuke remembered. When had that changed? And his own outfit. Not a blue shirt and white shorts, not even the black outfit he had worn to the finals of the Chuunin exam…no. A black shirt, sleeveless, open in the front…Black pants…A medium blue wrap around his waist…

He looked up. Sakura's eyes were downcast, a few tears escaping though she managed to hold most of them in. Naruto glared back at Sasuke, unflinching. How had he not seen it before? They were older, no longer the thirteen-year-olds of his memories. How much of his memory was missing?

"How old are you?" he blurted, not fully intending to. Sakura looked up, caught off guard, and Naruto blinked dumbly. "Well, loser?"

"Fifteen. Sakura's sixteen." He seemed too shocked to question Sasuke's reason.

"Three years…" the Uchiha muttered. "How is that possible?" His voice shook embarrassingly, but he was too flustered to care.

Naruto leaned forward. "'Three years' what?" he demanded, some suppressed emotion in his voice – fear? No…hope. "Sasuke, what's the last thing you remember?"

"The Chuunin exams…" Sasuke gasped. It was getting hard to breathe, between the dust, the purple rope, and the fear; it felt like he was hyperventilating. "A little after that, but only a few images. Nothing solid." After another shallow breath, he met Naruto's eyes, searching for answers. "What happened…It's been three years!" He couldn't keep the panic out of his voice, couldn't even think straight. Naruto trembled, shaking his head. "I…I don't remember anything. What happened? What _happened?_ Where –" A coughing fit seized him, killing his question before it could escape his mouth. _That rope… _It was suffocating him, constricting slowly, like a python crushing its prey. He gasped for air, but the little that found its way in did nothing to dispel the haze coalescing before his eyes.

"Sasuke-kun!"

"Quick! Untie him!"

Hands gripped his forearms, though they were numb to the point that he could only just feel the pressure, and it was unknown whether they were Sakura's gloved hands or Naruto's bare ones. The rope shifted, cutting deeper. He coughed harder. Red drops splattered on the ground.

"Naruto, hurry! He's coughing up blood."

In the back of his mind, Sasuke knew that was bad, perhaps fatally so, but his thoughts had become sluggish. He just wanted to sleep.

"Argh! That's it!"

Hadn't he just been struggling for air? He should still be feeling that tightness in his lungs, right? But that sensation was gone, along with the pain he had been feeling earlier. Perhaps it was the panic that had brought this on. He was calm now. The urgent need for air had let up.

But he wasn't breathing.

Warm blood dribbled down his chin. The haze was darker now, almost black. Only a tiny region at the center of his vision remained clear. In it, he could see one of Sakura's black gloves. It turned green. _I must be going crazy_. With that thought, his head fell forward.

"Sasuke-kun!!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The torch was almost out. The length of rope Sakura had taken when she went to explore the cave had lasted a long time, but even it had been used up before she had returned. The rest of the rope had been tying Sasuke to the stone, but now it was lying in five pieces, each two feet long, with the rest of the supplies. After all, they didn't need to tie Sasuke up anymore…

"Ow!"

Lost in thought as he was, Naruto hadn't realized how low the flame was getting until it had burned his fingertips. He quickly snatched one of the other "torches" from the ground, touching its end to the dying flame. Once the new torch was safely burning, Naruto tossed the purple stub away. It had lasted four hours. That meant they had less than a day until they were left in the dark - if the fire didn't consume too much oxygen before then.

"How's it going, Sakura-chan?" he asked tentatively, glancing to where the pink-haired Chuunin knelt by a pale Sasuke. A grunt was his only reply. Frowning, Naruto turned back to the supplies. They had lost most of their things in the battle, and now all that was left was a handful of soldier pills, about half of the weapons and scrolls they had originally brought, Sasuke's katana, and the torches. Hearing a soft gasp, Naruto grabbed a pill and scooted closer to Sakura. He held it up and she ate it out of his hand, too exhausted to protest. The green chakra flowing from her fingertips flared brightly, surging into Sasuke's heaving chest.

Naruto didn't dare ask how he was. He had heard Sakura's prognosis earlier – one collapsed lung, the other half-filled with fluid; a severe concussion and several cracked ribs (though these last two ailments were no surprise: Sakura had detected them immediately upon waking up, but hadn't had the energy to heal them completely). Seeing the large beads of sweat crowning Sakura's brow, Naruto couldn't help but wish he knew some medical jutsu. If only he could help!

Hoisting the torch higher, Naruto studied Sasuke's face. It was ashen and slick with sweat, brow furrowed and lips curled in an expression of agony. Yet it was nothing compared to what Naruto had seen just before his best friend had passed out. Sasuke didn't remember anything from the past three years, of that much Naruto was certain. He didn't remember fighting Itachi, didn't remember betraying Konoha so he could train with Orochimaru and gain the power he needed to kill his brother. He didn't remember his fight with Naruto at the Valley of the End, or their reunion two and a half years later. He didn't remember his more recent fight with Itachi, the one Sakura and Naruto had interrupted while Kakashi, Sai, and Yamato distracted the other members of Hebi – Juugo, Suigetsu, and Karin. He didn't remember chasing the other man, or the ensuing battle that had trapped them here.

He had saved them. The man Sasuke had been chasing (what had he called him? Oh – Madara. Another Uchiha.) had unleashed an enormous fireball – some variation of Sasuke's _Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu, _perhaps. Naruto had never seen such a powerful attack, not from Itachi, nor Orochimaru. They would have, _should have_, been killed, but at the last second, Sasuke had summoned a snake. He had positioned it so it would protect Naruto and Sakura as completely as possible, leaving himself vulnerable. Sakura insisted it was mere coincidence, but Naruto knew Sasuke was too level-headed to make a mistake like that. He had deliberately risked his life to save them. Although they had all been left unconscious in this cave, Sasuke had been in the worst shape by far. And now he had lost his memory.

Still, Naruto couldn't keep a smile off his face. This was the old Sasuke, his teammate, his friend. He didn't remember leaving. As far as Sasuke was concerned, they were still Squad Seven. They could go back to the way things had been now.

As long as Sasuke survived.

The smile faded. Naruto stared at the dry blood on the ground near his foot. He knew next to nothing about medical jutsu or the human body. He had no way to know how serious this was. But he did know that Sakura had been kneeling over Sasuke for the past three and a half hours, squeezing out every last drop of chakra in an effort to save his life. If she hadn't passed out yet, Sasuke must still be in danger.

The green glow around Sakura's hands faded. Naruto instantly turned to her, scanning her face for any emotion, whether despair or triumph. He saw only exhaustion. He wanted to ask, wanted to know – but then he didn't. If Sasuke wasn't going to make it, he didn't want to hear the words leave Sakura's lips.

"I think…" Sakura swayed, no doubt a result of expelling so much of her chakra. Naruto looped an arm around her waist to steady her. "I think he'll survive." Her words hit him like one of her punches, knocking the breath out of him. He had been steeling himself for bad news, he realized with a laugh. Meeting her eyes, Naruto's face split with a wide, exuberant grin.

"Sakura-chan, you're amazing!" he cried, resisting the urge to hug her. To his surprise, a blush graced her cheeks. Suddenly an idea came to him. "I bet Sasuke's gonna be impressed once he hears what you did."

"Y-you think so?" she mumbled, blush deepening. It astounded Naruto that, even after three years, she still had such a crush on the third member of their team. After a moment of staring at Sasuke's face, she regained her wits. "He doesn't remember anything from the past three years…"

"I know," Naruto chuckled, his joy undiminished by Sakura's concern. "That means we have a chance to remind him why we're a hundred times better than Orochimaru!"

A faint smile tugged at Sakura's lips. "I guess you're right. Still, shouldn't we tell him?"

"Not yet." Naruto's tone was so firm that it surprised Sakura. She stared at him. "We'll tell him eventually, but not until we remind him just what it means to be a part of Squad Seven."

The smile grew. Sakura nodded, a few tears gathering in her eyes. "He's back, Naruto. He's really back!"

The blond-haired teen flashed her a thumbs-up. "It was the promise of a lifetime, wasn't it? I told you I don't go back on my word. After all, that's my nindo, my ninja way." He laughed. "Now we just have to get back to Konoha and tell everyone the good news!"

Unfortunately, it wouldn't be so simple…

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Rasengan!"

The swirling sphere glowed with a blue light that cast an eerie glow the length of the narrow tunnel. Naruto reared his hand back, thrusting it forward into the solid stone at the end of the passage. Back in the main chamber, Sakura clutched a still unconscious Sasuke, ready to shield or heal him in case Naruto's jutsu caused a cave-in. Overhead, the stones shuddered, several chunks raining down on the three ninja. Naruto grit his teeth, pushing the Rasengan deeper into the stone.

It had been over a day. They had burned the remaining torches one after another, knowing they had no way to light one other than using the flame of a previous torch. The last one had died hours ago. For a while, they sat, talking, waiting for Sasuke to stir. Sakura had dissuaded Naruto from using the Rasengan, worried about a cave-in, but also worried that it would attract unwanted attention. None of them were at peak strength; Naruto could fight – for a while – but Sasuke had yet to wake up and Sakura still felt light-headed after healing Sasuke the day before. They finally decided to go for it when the lack of oxygen became an issue.

So here they were.

Sakura curled her body around Sasuke's, cradling his head against her chest. Naruto spat a mouthful of dust onto the ground. They didn't know how thick the rock was here or anywhere else, but Sakura figured the end of the single tunnel would be the most stable. She only hoped she was right.

Naruto pushed harder, putting his whole weight behind the jutsu and funneling more chakra into the sphere. This had to work. It was already hard to breathe. Much longer, and even a cave-in wouldn't matter. Then, he felt it. The rock gave way, all at once, and Naruto stumbled out into the open. The mound of dirt and stone he had been trapped in formed the floor of a barren crater, most of which was coated in fine gray ash. Looking up, it was obvious what the source was. Blackened trees, their tops completely obliterated, ringed the crater, many of them toppled, some split down the middle.

This was the aftermath of Madara's jutsu, and Naruto had nearly been part of this mess. If not for Sasuke's summon snake, Naruto would have been no more than the ash swirling around his feet.

"Naruto?"

The teen turned and hurried back into the cave. The light from outside didn't reach the main chamber where Sakura was, so Naruto had to feel his way back to her. Somehow it hadn't seemed quite this dark before, even though he hadn't been able to see then, either.

"Sakura?"

"Over here."

Naruto followed her voice, stopping when his outstretched hand brushed her arm. He grinned, although he knew she couldn't see it.

"We're out."

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief, making Naruto's grin even wider. Given the devastation waiting for them outside, even he had to admit it was a miracle the three of them had survived. He wondered how long they had been unconscious. Were the others waiting for them?

Naruto had been the first to awake, and he figured that had been at least forty-eight hours ago. At first, he had been disoriented. Several hours later, he had gathered that he, Sakura, and Sasuke were trapped in some sort of cave with a main chamber and one tunnel leading off. He had tied up Sasuke first, though it pained him to do so. He simply couldn't take any chances. Afterward, he set about waking Sakura up. She had healed the worst wounds any of them had sustained, then had lit a torch and gone exploring. At that point, Naruto had been awake for roughly twenty-four hours. After Sakura had healed Sasuke a second time, the two had taken turns sleeping, starting with Sakura, until the last torch died.

Sliding his arms underneath Sasuke's limp form, Naruto stood. He heard Sakura do the same, and the two made their way to the newly-formed entrance. Outside, Sakura froze. Naruto didn't blame her, but he said nothing as he gently laid Sasuke down. Here, in the golden light of dawn, he looked much healthier than in the shaky firelight. Without the flickering shadows, Naruto could clearly see the rising and falling of his chest: steady and deep.

"I guess I was worried for nothing," Sakura murmured. Naruto looked up to see that she was staring at Sasuke.

"Not for nothing," Naruto grinned. "We just managed to beat the odds!"

Sakura giggled and returned her eyes to the sky. "It's dawn. We must have been down there for at least three days. Kakashi-sensei, Yamato-taichou, and Sai have probably returned to Konoha by now. They wouldn't believe we could survive this long."

Naruto crossed his arms. (So what if he looked like he was pouting?) "Shows how much _they_ know," he snorted. "I don't die that easily!"

"Easily? Naruto, look around! Who could possibly survive _this_?"

"Us."

He was right, of course, but Sakura would never admit it. Instead, she strode around the crater, inspecting what little was left after the attack. Getting out would be an issue, especially given her depleted chakra and the fact that Sasuke was still unconscious.

"Unn…"

Speaking of which… Sakura immediately charged to Sasuke's side, shoving Naruto aside in the process, and carefully cradled Sasuke's head in her lap. He grimaced, jaw clenching, but soon relaxed. Painfully slowly, his obsidian eyes opened and focused on Sakura's teal ones. She smiled nervously.

"How are you, Sasuke-kun?"

Nearby, Naruto picked himself up, grumbling about how girls never changed, and shifted to Sasuke's other side. The black gaze darted from green to blue.

"Hey, idiot!" Naruto smirked, feeling a rush of joy at being so close to Sasuke outside of a fight. "You had us worried there for a while. We thought you were dying – actually, you _were _dying! But everything's alright now. Sakura-chan healed you. Did you know she's an awesome medical ninja, just like Tsunade-baachan! And she had the old hag's super strength, too – OW! Sakura-chan!"

As Naruto rubbed the bump on his head, courtesy of an irate Sakura, Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Now you want to talk? I couldn't get you to say a word earlier…" With a light grunt, he sat up. "…Loser."

Naruto's expression soured, but he couldn't deny it felt good to be insulted by Sasuke like that. It sounded weird, but then, Naruto was no ordinary boy. This was the old Sasuke, and Naruto considered the old Sasuke his brother, so he didn't mind the insults.

"Sasuke-kun, you shouldn't be standing up yet! You haven't recovered!"

"What happened?"

"Huh? There was a battle and –"

"No. The last three years? What don't I remember?"

Naruto glanced at Sakura, hoping she wouldn't blow everything by telling Sasuke the truth. She looked back at him, waiting for him to explain. Sasuke glanced at the ruins around him for a brief moment, turned to Sakura, then followed her gaze to Naruto. The troublemaker suddenly wished he'd taken the time to think up a lie.

"Uh…nothing much. You know – training and stuff."

"No missions? Didn't we take the Chuunin exams again?" Sasuke's eyes bore down on Naruto, seeming to unearth the truth without Naruto having to say a word. The blond fidgeted under the glare.

"See, the thing is…We all went our separate ways for most of the time. Sakura stayed in Konoha to train with Tsunade-baachan – remember her? Old hag? Fifth Hokage? Anyway, Sakura's a Chuunin now. I went with Ero-sennin and just got back. You went off with…some fancy-schmancy guy. I didn't actually meet him, but he's supposed to be pretty strong. I guess. Anyway, we're both still Genin. But I'm stronger than you are."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Dream on, loser. You'll never be as strong as me."

"Oh _yeah_?!" Naruto roared, grabbing Sasuke by the shirt. "Why don't we see?"

Sasuke smirked. "A fight? Now?"

"You aren't scared, are you?" Naruto asked, feigning concern. "Wimp."

"Oh, no you don't!" Sakura interrupted, forcing the boys apart with a hand on their chests. "Sasuke-kun, you're still injured. There's no way you're fighting any time soon. And Naruto! You should know better than to go picking fights! We're supposed to be a team!"

The boys glared at each other before, at length, Sasuke shrugged and backed away. "Whatever. I don't suppose there's any point in wasting my chakra anyway. So where are we headed?"

Sakura followed Sasuke to the edge of the crater, though Naruto's slight smile didn't escape her notice. He certainly was in a good mood today. But then, so was Sakura. "Well," she said, returning her focus to Sasuke's question. "Kakashi-sensei and the others were a couple miles west of here, but we don't know if they're still there."

Sasuke paused. "Others?"

"There were two others in our team for this mission," Sakura explained. "Yamato-taichou led me and Naruto on a mission before you…returned. Sai was on that mission, as well, so the two of them came along this time."

"I see."

In an instant, Sasuke had leaped to the rim of the crater, scanning the charred forest silently. Sakura and Naruto directed a burst of chakra to their feet and followed, though it took a monumental effort on Sakura's part to summon the magnitude of chakra necessary to reach the top. Naruto glanced around, a look of confusion on his face, as if trying to figure out which way to go. Sakura groaned and took the lead.

They travelled at a leisurely pace, covering in two hours what had taken them less than twenty minutes several days earlier. Naruto soon became convinced they were going the wrong way, but at the warning glare Sakura sent him when he first brought it up, he decided it was wiser to stay silent. Instead, he spent the time studying Sasuke, who was between himself and Sakura.

The outfit was a nasty reminder, he decided, but without Orochimaru's trademark purple rope, it was almost bearable. From the back, anyway. The thought of the pathetic attempt to cover Sasuke's chest, which Naruto had always believed to be a deliberate attempt to get to Sakura, still made him sick.

But he was back. The concept hadn't fully sunk in yet, but Naruto wasn't about to let that stop him. Squad Seven was whole again; he had his rival back – they would have to fight soon. Once Sasuke was better, they'd settle their score. Who cared how long it took? Naruto could wait.

Soon enough, a building came into view. This was where Naruto and Sakura had found Sasuke. The former two glanced warily at Sasuke, knowing that if he remembered the fight he had engaged in here, the fight against his brother Itachi that had been his sole purpose in life…if he remembered, he would leave them in a heartbeat. Both teens found themselves praying fervently that Sasuke remain ignorant. They had just gotten him back, and to lose him again so soon would be devastating.

He looked, taking in the utterly destroyed building, the surrounding ruins left over from battles years ago. He took in the scattered shuriken and kunai Madara had launched. A frown materialized on his face; his eyes narrowed. A look – whether of recognition or mere curiosity, Naruto couldn't say – entered his eyes at the scene.

But as Sakura continued on, passing the building, Sasuke turned forward, never looking back. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief, grinning at Sakura as she did the same. They were safe, for now.

Ten minutes later, they stopped. This was the battlefield where they had left their teammates to face the members of Hebi – of _Snake_. Naruto scowled. Even if Sasuke had been the one to choose that name, it still made Naruto want to hurl. He would forever associate snakes with one person and one person only: Orochimaru. Fortunately, his summoning contract wasn't with snakes, or he'd never perform another summon as long as he lived. _It was a snake that saved your butt, _he reminded himself, just as quickly dismissing the thought. It didn't matter anyway.

Before the trio lay a hill drenched with blood. The surrounding buildings were near the point of collapse, and the rest of the landscape had fared no better. Black ink mixed with crimson blood – Sai's doing. Twisted roots mangled the ground. Yamato. Judging from the collateral damage, it had been a fierce fight. Judging from the blood, it had been fatal.

There were two bodies, mostly hidden by the carnage. The trio approached until the corpses were more visible. Only a black boot was visible of the smaller body. But the larger form caught the group's attention. His silvery-white hair, unrestrained by a headband, obscured his face.

Naruto's heart stopped.

* * *

**A/N: You'll find out what happened before this chapter in chapters 4-5 (mostly. Some you'll hear a little later, and a little bit you won't hear for a VERY long time.) But there IS action next chapter.**

**I'll be sticking to the Japanese for a lot of things (primarily specific jutsu and the honorifics, e.g. Sakura-chan). I'll probably keep most terminology in English (Rogue ninja instead of nukenin and headband instead of hitai-ate.). It's just easier for everyone who doesn't speak Japanese. And for all the Japanese, I'll have a translation and/or corresponding English name at the end. Speaking of which… **

**_Sabaku no Gaara _**"Gaara of the Sand Waterfall" (or "Gaara of the Sand"/"Gaara of the Desert")

**_Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu _**"Fire Element: Grand Fireball Technique"/"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu"

**_Tsunade-baachan_** "Grandma/Granny Tsunade"

**_Ero-sennin_ **"Pervert Hermit"/"Pervy Sage"

**_Yamato-taichou_** "Captain Yamato"

**And, in case you were wondering, here are some common honorifics that may come up:  
-- "-san" is the most common. It's kinda impersonal/respectful, not gender specific; I think of it as denoting an acquaintance – the two aren't particularly close, and the one using it doesn't acknowledge much of a difference in social status. (Examples: Hinata says "Neji-san". Lee says "Sakura-san")  
-- "-kun" is an affectionate male suffix. It can indicate romantic interest (Sakura says "Sasuke-kun", Hinata says "Naruto-kun"), close friendship (from either gender – Hinata says "Kiba-kun", Lee says "Naruto-kun"), or can be used by one in a higher position to a subordinate/ineferior (Orochimaru: "Sasuke-kun"; Itachi: "Naruto-kun")  
-- "-chan" is for girls what "-kun" is for boys, although it is used more often. (Naruto: "Sakura-chan")  
-- "-sama" is a very respectful title, basically like "Lord" or "Lady" (Pretty much anyone except Naruto: "Hokage-sama"/"Tsunade-sama"; Neji: "Hinata-sama", "Hiashi-sama")  
-- "-sensei" (or "Sensei" alone) is "teacher", and the only title that carried over to the English version of Naruto.  
-- "-sempai" (or "Sempai" alone) is referring to someone of senior status, though not as senior as "-sama" or "-sensei" – often an older student, or possibly a mentor. (Can't think of any examples off the top of my head)  
-- "-dono" can be used to mean one of two things. In one filler episode of the anime, it was used basically as a synonym for "-sama" (meaning "Lord"), though slightly more formal. In this fic, it will signify the other meaning, which is two people of approximately equal, high status addressing each other with respect while not placing the speaker below the addressee (For example, if the heads of two clans were meeting, they might use "-dono" to address each other, indicating that they both deserve respect but are still equals)  
-- if there is no suffix attached to a name, that generally means the two are very close friends (ie Naruto and Sasuke) but not so close as to use the lovey-dovey "-chan" and "-kun" Of course, it can also indicate a falling out or loss of respect (If someone suddenly started calling Tsunade by her name alone rather than "Tsunade-sama" it would probably indicate they don't think she is worthy of her position; if Sakura suddenly said "Sasuke" instead of "Sasuke-kun" it would indicate she no longer feels the same degree of affection toward him – if she was _really_ mad at him, she might start calling him "Sasuke-san") Of course, this is complicated even more with all the villains. Since honorifics (as implied by the name) show honor and respect, none of the main characters is going to use them with regard to someone like Orochimaru or Itachi. In this case, rather than indicating closeness, it indicates a lack or respect. **

**So, yah. Kinda confusing, but I really like the concept of Japanese honorifics/titles. **

**Oh, and about the ages: Sakura's birthday is March 28; Sasuke's is July 23; Naruto's is October 10. So if Naruto was 13 at the end of part one of the manga (end of the Sasuke Retrieval arc in the anime), and he was gone with Jiraiya for two and a half years, then Sakura would have been 16 by the time Shippuuden/part two started. (And yeah, I think Sakura and Sasuke would both be older than Naruto, rather than Sakura being five months younger than Naruto. So sue me.)**

**Gomen (sorry) for the long A/N. There usually aren't NEARLY this many, but I had to get all the technical details out of the way. Until next time, review!**

**Next time… "Deadly Borders! A Life of Exile!" **


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